A number of arrangements have been proposed for cutting blades used in lawnmowers and similar apparatus. The following U.S. Pats. Nos. disclose a number of known cutting blades: 3,208,209 Dunlap; 3,364,500 Fox; 3,988,810 Emery; 4,054,992 Ballas; 4,126,990 Fisher; 4,187,598 Pittinger; 4,295,324 Frantello; 4,357,789 Rodish; 4,362,007 Kennedy; 4,513,563 Roser. Further, the German Pat. No. 2,556,553 discloses a rotary cutting blade.
An ever increasing concern with consumers is the potential threat of bodily harm or to life that lawnmowers present. The metallic cutting blades customarily used in lawnmowers can permanently disfigure or kill an operator or innocent bystanders. If the operator inadvertently runs over any portion of his body will be severely maimed or lossed. An alarming number of these types of accidents have been reported around the country. Further, when the operator is removing the grass catcher it is possible that his arms or hands may inadvertently slip under the housing and be severed by the lawnmower blade. Additionally, if the lawnmower blade runs over rocks, metal rods, stakes and the like it will project those object outwardly with great velocity. These objects could likely strike the operator or an innocent bystander and cause serious bodily injury or death.
As a result of the dangerous nature of lawnmowers, it has been proposed to replace the customary metallic cutting blades with flexible type filaments commonly found in edgers or trimmers. However, the known cutting blades using flexible filaments have been unable to provide an adequate alternative to the metallic cutting blade.